


Same Love

by Pickl3lily



Series: A Flash of Cold and A Waving Killer [1]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Biromantic Barry Allen, Bisexual Male Character, Demisexual Barry Allen, F/M, Gen, It is the main ship and its platonic, Lisa & Barry Brotp, Lisa is a West-basher, M/M, Mentions of Abusive Relationships, Mourning, Not Beta Read, Pansexual Leonard Snart, Slowest Burn, Temporary canonical death, Unreliable Narrator, eventual ColdFlash, third person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-22
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-08-10 11:34:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7843315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pickl3lily/pseuds/Pickl3lily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Becoming best friends with Lisa Snart was simultaneously the best and worst decision of Barry's life. <br/>OR: Barry's journey through embracing his bisexuality, making the most platonic friendship with the hottest woman alive and falling head over heels for her dorky brother.</p><p> </p><p>This ideally a prequel to my KillerWave fic 'Love will keep us together' but can be read alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Same Love

Becoming friends with Lisa Snart was problematic. It was unexpected, it was reckless. It was also quite possibly the best decision that Barry had ever made. Here he was on a rare night off from Flashing around the city, curled up on the sofa and giving Lisa a foot rub as she decided to give him yet more unsolicited advice.

“Barry honey, I’m telling you – if this girl’s idea of confessing her love to you is to say that she’s available now and it looks like she can’t fight it… Well. That’s not love. Its desperation to be in a relationship and a reluctant obligation. Maybe you guys are fated and will end up together, but if you get together on the back of _that_ confession, you’ll break up and probably start resenting each other.”

Her words stung, but Barry could hear the truth in them – he’d known the moment Iris had started that he couldn’t act on those words. The words he had waited 14 years for, and they had made him feel like crap. “What if turning her down means that she never forgives me and then we never get together, or she just hates me and cuts me out? I couldn’t take it. Knowing that I’d ruined our friendship.” Barry was aware that he sounded like a petulant child, but considering how many nights he had spent braiding Lisa’s hair while she lamented on how Cisco wasn’t returning her calls – she owed him this much.

“You mean like how she turned you down when you told her how you felt? Didn’t you say she cut you out for a while? Barry – I love you and I get you love her, but why? She’s a bit catty and self-involved. Can’t blame her with Saint Joe making her think the world revolves around - ”

“Lisa! How many times, no West bashing!” Barry cutting across Lisa wasn’t particularly heated, merely exasperated as the traditional West bashing portion of the night because, it seemed, Iris had met Lisa once during the time when she wasn’t talking with Barry and had been moaning about how her foster brother had come onto her. Lisa had thought it creepy – until she had figured out who the Flash was, befriended him and found out the whole story.

“Sorry sweetie, but you remember how I know her right – she called you her brother. Is there really hope if deep down, she always feels like you grew up as her brother?” Barry sighed, wilting under Lisa’s pleading gaze.

“No. But honestly, aside Iris, I’ve only ever liked two women. It’s hard for me to move on – I mean, I know when a girl is hot – ow! Okay, I know when a women is _attractive_ , but it’s not something I ever really want to act on. What if I end up alone?” Barry practically purred as Lisa’s hand came up to run through his hair, nails scraping softly against his scalping in the comforting way his mother had once done so. “Barry, you are an idiot if you think you could ever end up alone unless you wanted to. You are cute and funny and sweet and Barry, don’t you dare ever think that just because Iris West didn’t want you that it isn’t true. You should hear the way Lenny talks about you – you ever go gay, I could set you up.”

The two met each other’s eyes and began giggling before full-out laughing, leaning on one-another for support and gasping to catch their breath. “Oh Lise, but then we’d have to tell him you read his diary – and that I know he has a diary. I think he’d kill us both no matter how much he loves you.”

“Or how much he wants to play _your_ hero. Besides, that diary was more like a freaking novel - I could publish it and earn more than our heists.” And the laughter was returning full-force; a full bottle of vodka and Caitlin’s special brew for Barry, had probably not been the best idea.

 

 

 

It definitely hadn’t been a good idea, what with the headache it had left them both with the next morning. Ploddering to Jitters at normal speed, the two looked to be a sorry pair indeed, with their linking arms more out of support than camaraderie, and the large sunglasses made it perfectly clear as to why the support was necessary.

“Hey, Barry.” Lisa broke the silence, wincing slightly at how it caused her brain to throb, continuing at Barry’s replying grunt, “Last night, when I suggested you and Lenny, you never really said no. I mean, I know I said ‘if you go gay’ but most guys get really defensive.” She slowly, so slowly so as to not dizzy herself, turned her head to look at the speedster. He tilted his head slightly and hummed. “I guess – I mean, I’ve never really… Iris, Joe, nobody knows, but the only relationship I had that I never thought about Iris and could just be _happy_ – I was in college. I was away from home and there was this guy in my Criminology class…”

He trailed off in time for Lisa to squeal shrilly, clutching his arm; she immediately regretted it, bring a hand to her forehead and her whole face scrunching up. “Damn. I’m so jealous right now – your hangover’s already gone, isn’t it.” The guilty look on Barry’s face was answer enough. “I hate you.”

Barry removed his sunglasses, hitting her with the full puppy-dog expression that she had no strength to resist in her current state. “No you don’t.” Lisa seriously hated how self-assured he sounded, and desperately wanted to confirm that she really did, but instead found herself sighing resolutely. “No. I don’t. But don’t think that you’re getting out of telling me about your big gay romance – once I get me some coffee, you owe me a story.”

 

 

 

“… And then after we graduated, Joe told me he’d gotten me a job at CCPD and I kind of took it. Caleb wanted to travel and he didn’t like the sound of Iris, thought she was keeping me in the closet, so…” Barry slurped his espresso and shrugged, trying not to show how depressed rehashing his failed relationship made him. Lisa downed the last dregs of her Flash coffee and nodded as Barry could see a tic in her jaw; instantly he braced himself. “What?”

“Hmmm? Oh, nothing. It’s just – you seemed so happy when you were talking about this guy but you threw it all away for the Wests? I’m not saying that they haven’t been good to you, I know that they’re your family but, Barry you have to think about yourself now and then.” Barry let out an indignant squawk accompanied by a squeaky “I do!”, but Lisa was shaking her head at him. “Barry, you hadn’t been mooning over Iris for a while, and you only started considering romance again when she brought it up and we’ve already discussed that, so I’m just going to ask you a question and I want you to think about it before you give me an honest answer.” Barry nodded, unsure of where this was going, rubbing his hands over themselves so quickly they were almost vibrating from the tension he was feeling.

“Barry, is it possible that when you dated Patty, maybe even before that, that maybe you managed to get over Iris and you’re considering making yourself take a step back and try to love her again because, like her, you feel obligated? She’s your best friend and loving her is fine, but do you really think you can be in love with her again or do you just think that it’s the only way your story will end without you being alone?”

Barry couldn’t talk; he felt as if Lisa had just taken every thought of doubt he’d had in the past few days, extracted them from his mind and shoved them back in his face. “I… I guess, maybe, I stopped seeing Iris like that and when she asked me… Yeah, okay, my first reaction wasn’t the joy I thought it would be. I just felt awkward and I’m not sure if I even want to try anymore.” Absently, he accepted the refills that the barista had brought over – obviously pitying their sorry states, whilst contemplating how he might further answer, he watched the young man wipe down the next table and saunter away. A swift kick to his shin drew his attention back to the table. “Ow! What the hell?” But Lisa refused to look sorry at the reprimand, a sly grin forming across her usually pouty lips and Barry felt dread pool in his stomach. This could not be good.

“Barry, you were totally checking that guy out! And this isn’t even the first time I’ve seen you check out a guy, but it is the first time I knew it was possible you wanted to bang them!” Barry choked on air and looked around wildly, terrified the barista might appear next to him and hear the outlandish words Lisa was spouting. “God, Lisa! Keep it down! Yeah, I check out guys from time to time, but I never act on it! I told you, I’ve only ever dated one guy.” Lisa’s pitying look as she shook her head at him seemed more effective when she was like this – barely made-up with last night’s mascara the only effort made, her auburn tresses thrown into a haphazard bun at the top of her head and wearing a pair of Barry’s sweat pants; it was remarkable how when she was her usual self, dolled up and dressed to the nines, that she seemed child-like or seductive depending on her mood, but here she was, seeming every bit the sensible friend whose advice he should take to heart. Which he was considering. Damn it.

 

 

 

 

Three weeks and Lisa still hadn’t dropped it. She had been pointing out various men she had determined to be gay or at least Bi, and recommending her favourites to Barry as if they were dogs in the pound, just waiting to be taken to a good home. He was just grateful she had decided to have them stay in at hers that evening, even if her apartment was in a creepy neighbourhood, where it was apparently common for men and women to assume that Barry was some high-class hooker and ask for his price list as he’d been crossing the street to her building.

Luckily vodka was not going to be a part of the night’s plans although wine and reheated lasagne was – because apparently Captain Cold was no slouch in the kitchen. Who knew? As they sat watching all the shenanigans and catfights between the female contestants on ‘The Batchelor’, Barry was so embroiled in the show that he didn’t even register the key turning in the lock, his fingers continuing to move deftly through Lisa’s hair. They’d done this frequently enough that it was muscle memory and he didn’t even need to look to create the waterfall of fish tail braids on either side of her head with her sat on the floor between his legs.

It probably wasn’t the best position for Leonard Snart to walk in on them, as his shocked and mildly outraged expression showed that he obviously didn’t automatically consider this to be a platonic relationship. He changed his mind however, when his sister jumped to her feet screeching “Lenny!” and flew into his arms; considering she was wearing little more than her panties and a button-up shirt, Len was shocked that Barry’s eyes remained locked on his own through the whole ordeal.

“Lisa. Why do you have a CSI in your apartment?” His voice was cool and even, all the while trying to make sense of what the hell was going on. He didn’t expect the snort in his ear and he pushed his sister away, rougher than he usually would, as he curled his lip, wiping exaggeratedly at his ear. “That’s disgusting – people have the gall to call a train-wreck like _you_ , a lady?” To anyone who didn’t know the Snart’s teasing way of speaking to the people they loved, it might sound harsh, but the over-the-top drawl with extra nasal-ness made Barry merely smile and settle back to see how the hell Lisa was going to get out of this.

“Oh please, Lenny. Unlike you, I didn’t need to torture any cuties to find out Barry here is the Flash. _I_ used my brains and keen sense of investigative perception.” Her airy tone was accompanied by her chin tilted slightly up, as if to emphasise her intellectual superiority, until she was interrupted by two simultaneous snorts on either side of her. She glared at the speedster on the couch who merely shrugged, not even bothering to try hiding his grin, before whipping her head round to face Lenny again.

“Lisa. You’ve been my sister for long enough – have you ever seen me write in a diary? Do you really think I would be sloppy enough to keep one with such important information in it? I was trying to leave you a tip-off should Detective West decide to no longer respect the deal between Barry and I.” He rolled his eyes, inspecting his cuff and picking at it as if to remove some imaginary piece of lint. “Have to hand it to you though – I never expected you to go and kidnap him. Stockholm syndrome hit already, Barry?” He turned his gaze onto the speedster, suddenly noticing that he was wearing a pair of Len’s sweat pants that he had left at Lisa’s to sleep in and tilted his head at Barry – partially to give an air of nonchalance, but mostly as an inconspicuous way to attempt to shake out the positively _filthy_ thoughts he was having right now. Getting a boner in front of and because of Barry would be bad enough, but in front of Lisa? Not only would it be gross, but she would never let him hear the end of it – he could see the headlines now: **_Captain Cold uses gun to ice himself to escape sister’s golden-tongued taunts._** He just _knows_ Iris West would get that by-line.

“Yeah, well. What can I say, after Lisa finished giving me hell for the fact Cisco hadn’t been returning her calls, we got talking and she’s kind of awesome.” A small shrug is thrown in at the end, as if he hasn’t just called a known criminal awesome – and Len can feel his heart swell up a few sizes as he realises that Barry and Lisa are now good naturedly arguing and wrestling over a pillow, knowing how rare it is for Lisa to make friends that she can be like this with. She’s not wearing make-up, her hair isn’t done, Len knows from when she hugged him that she’s been eating garlic bread and that shirt is actually really unflattering but she doesn’t care; here she is smiling genuinely with Barry, the way she can normally only do with Len and Mick.

 

It’s probably the exact moment that Len’s lust for the speedster turns into love. Also known as the moment his life goes to hell.

 

With the cat out of the bag, there’s no sense in hiding their friendship from Len and suddenly Barry and Lisa’s karaoke nights become Barry, Lisa and Len’s karaoke nights. Same goes for their ‘The Batchelor’ nights and their sleepovers and everything they did before. Despite being a little pouty over having to share the best friend she’s ever had, Lisa is thrilled. “Seriously, guys. Imagine the possibilities.” Barry rolls his eyes and says, for what seems like the millionth time that night, “For the last time Lisa – I am not helping you on a heist!” Lisa turns imploringly to Len who merely tilts his beer bottle at her. “Now, now, Lise. We can’t turn our Barry to the dark side – then the good guys wouldn’t have anyone worthwhile on their team and might as well just hand the world over to the psychos.” Which is oddly touching… In a way.

Things come to ahead, however, a month later. Lisa and Len are flanking Barry on either side of the sofa as they all cuddle into a thick blanket and watch yet another guilty indulgence of ‘The Real Housewives of New Jersey”, when the door flies open and Mick Rory comes into the apartment. His jacket is singed and smoking lightly and the smell of smoke wafts in with him and lingers around the space. Mick merely grunts in greeting, grabs a beer out of the fridge and pops the cap off on his way to join the Snarts in the sitting room. He seems to notice then, that the both of them are frozen in position, eyes wide and then he takes in the third individual on the sofa. “Ah, come on. I take it from the blanket, you ain’t here on business?” None of the three move, although they have regained the ability to blink – however owlishly. “Listen – nobody died, not even a little maimed so no need to Flash me anywhere.”

Which does get a reaction, all three jumping to their feet, words overlapping and sentences only made out in fragments as they demand in their own personal ways how Mick knew.

“That diary was for _Lisa_ , when did you –“

“Did Len – He said – “

“Don’t know how you know – hurt my best friend – never find your golden cock- “

All noise came to a halt as the men fixed Lisa with a horrified stare. And Mick was not going to miss this opportunity to talk his way out of losing his junk to Lisa’s gun. “When we kidnapped gun-boy, I kept his phone for a bit – his contact picture for Barry Allen was the kid in costume. Looked him up when we got back. Just ‘cause I didn’t have no fancy deal, didn’t mean I could keep my mouth shut.” He looked between the three stunned faces and shrugged. “What?”

 

 

Time moved on and Lisa was no longer pressing him to find love or lust and he would have been more grateful had the reason not been that Mick and Len had just disappeared into thin air. Stein, Jax, Kendra, Carter and apparently Ray and Sara had gone too, but reportedly they were on a mission to stop Savage – even if Mick and Len had been recruited, Lisa was positive they would never have agreed, not without telling her. And so she and Barry spent 6 months worried out of their minds; Barry even came clean to STAR labs about who he was spending his free time with, trying to ignore the hurt looks shot his way from Cisco and Iris when he admitted that he’d become best friends with the younger Snart.

Their searches for the two men stopped abruptly when Stein and Jax wandered into the Cortex, a silent Mick Rory trailing behind them. “Mick! What – you went on the mission? Where’s Len?” Barry had instantly bombarded the man with questions and would have continued to do so, had he not noticed the twin looks of grief on Jax and Stein’s faces. He staggered back, barely noticing how everyone else allowed themselves gasps of shock; he felt like he couldn’t breathe. Every stumbling step seemed to take more air from his lungs and he thought he could hear his name, but it was so muffled, like he was underwater.

Mick’s hands came to rest on his shoulders and Barry met his gaze, wide eyes brimming with unshed tears. He panted the words out, forcing his lungs to work. “No. Len – Where, he can’t. No. _Mick!_ ” The larger man just curled his fingers into Barry’s shoulder, conveying without words that Len was gone. Barry felt his knees buckle and it was only by the strength of Mick that he stayed upright; as it was, his face landed on Mick’s shoulder and the fabric beneath him began to soak with his tears, but Mick made no move to push him away. Instead Barry thought it felt like he was being tugged closer. He cried harder.

 

 

When Lisa found out, Barry had expected the tears, the anger and the depression. He didn’t expect to be on a guard akin to suicide watch. It wasn't deliberate, not really – but Lisa had been taking too many risks, starting fights with the Santini’s, stumbling around drunk in rough neighbourhoods and even called her abusive ex for a hook-up. They say it takes a village to raise a child – it felt like it would take that to help Lisa get over the death of the man that had raised her.

It seemed the team was taking well to having her tag along so she could be kept an eye on; Cisco was easy enough to wrap back around her little pinky and apparently Caitlin was given some form of apology, although one that made her incredibly flustered and more than one person caught her reading posts in online forums about sexuality crises. Barry thought it was a good sign of Lisa’s recovering if she was starting to make people question their sexuality.

The moment Iris started talking about arresting her was the day Caitlin slapped her at Cisco’s behest - too honourable to slap a woman himself. He then manoeuvred his way between the women and stared Iris in the eyes, a look of cold fury out of place on his usually joyful face. “How _dare_ you! She is mourning her brother, you would think you would understand. Oh wait, no, I guess losing your fiancé is more tragic than losing your brother? The man who raised you and protected you from abuse. Nah, that’s nothing, right?” Iris looked as if she had been slapped again, opening her mouth to defend herself, but in a flurry of lightening, she was gone.

Barry returned seconds later, looking murderous. Cisco blinked, obviously having been nowhere near finished but steadied himself with a deep breath. “Thanks Bar. Almost said something I would have really regretted.” He whirled round, eyes comically wide as he met Caitlin’s gaze, “Cait! I swear, I didn’t mean to undermine your grief with Ronnie, I –“

She held up a hand. “Cisco, stop. It’s okay. Grief is always terrible but nobody has more right to it than anyone else; taking advantage right now is not the way. Besides,” She added, turning towards the med-bay where Lisa was currently still drugged up from having her arm reset following an argument with her ex. “She’s actually not so bad.”

 

 

It wasn’t until Mick returned again that Lisa fully returned to normal, which probably had something to do with the shell-shocked and somehow perfectly fine, if unclothed, Len trailing along behind him. Nobody except Cisco and Stein really understood how it was possible but Lisa hadn’t cared; ignoring his nudity, she threw her arms around her brother and let out the first tears of _joy_ that she had ever shed. Plenty of her tears in her life had been from pain, hurt and anger, but it wasn’t until this moment that she had ever been so thoroughly bowled over by her relief and happiness that her eyes had streamed from it.

(They became a permanent fixture around STAR labs, much to the chagrin of Iris and Joe, although that was probably more to do with Wally taking an instant shine to Mick Rory of all people. Apparently, Mick had another passion beside fire, in the form of race cars – it really was a match made in hell.)

The first time Barry worked up the courage to kiss Len, he hadn’t thought about it and it hadn’t really counted – just consoling kisses peppering the crown of his head during his recovery from a Meta attack. The Wests hadn’t approved of that either, nor would they have approved of their first real kiss, had they seen it. Barry had just stolen equipment from some deranged para-military scientists that were going to destroy the city, with the help of Len and although it had been a good deed, seeing Barry as a thief was too hot for Len to handle, causing him to lose his cool and capture the speedster’s lips in a filthy exchange.

Not to say things were easy – Caitlin was fine with the Snarts, but there was still enough friction between her and Mick to result in a torrent of screaming released upon the man a month into the uneasy team that had formed. Barry had been confused when Lisa and Len began smirking knowingly at Caitlin 3 days later, but was soon filled in on the reason and though his initial response had been to panic and be concerned for his friend, the moment Caitlin snapped several of his bones back into place without breaking a sweat and not a look of hesitation or concern marring her features, he stopped worrying about her and the ring on her finger. Instead, he began coddling Mick and showing obvious concern for the larger man’s wellbeing, much to everyone else’s confusion and amusement. The Snart’s raucous laughter as he explained that Mick may not have realised what he was in for, made it worth it. Sometimes, no matter how rare it sometimes seemed, life was good.

 

As in true Central City fashion, things did not run smoothly and nobody lived happily ever after, what with being too busy dealing with psychotic Metahumans and averting apocalypses, but they did live somewhat contentedly. And to be honest, in life that’s all you can really ask for.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the very first time I wrote a fic meaning to focus solely on ColdFlash as the main couple and I chickened out. I love the idea of a bromance between Barry and |Lisa so this happened - I only partially regret it. I did kind of rush through the bits with integrating everyone else, because it needed to happen, but didn't feel as organic as the rest. 
> 
> I honestly don't hate the Wests - I think the writers screwed up any chance of Iris and Barry's relationship matching the one in the comics and I find Joe a tad overbearing and judgemental but, no hate. This was just where the story took me! 
> 
> And yes, I tagged Barry as being Biromantic and Demisexual because in my mind, he'll date a man or woman but in order to want to make a move, he has to have some kind of emotional bond.   
> Either way, I hope you enjoyed this piece of trash.


End file.
